HECTORED Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

hectored 1 of 2

adjective

as in cowed

Related Words

Relevance

hectored

2 of 2

verb

past tense of hector

as in intimidated

to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats the judge warned the attorney that hectoring the witness with aggressive questioning would not be allowed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of hectored

Verb

At school, he was hectored because of his shabby wardrobe. — Dan Pompei, New York Times, 23 June 2026 For over a century, citizens have been surveilled while the media is harassed and hectored into compromise, so that the official rhetoric of Slavic suprematism can go unchallenged. — Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026 Jason Sudeikis, Robert Smigel, and George Wendt hectored Kelce to (1) make Taylor pony up for a new stadium and (2) propose already. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hectored

Adjective

Romania's Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism accused Andrew Tate of having sex with two minors and alleged that Tristan Tate helped his brother and intimidated victims.

— Bill Chappell, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026
The biggest hurdle, though, is simply believing the Elle Woods who learns to prove her doubters wrong at 16 would be so intimidated when faced with doing it again at 22.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 29 June 2026

Definition of intimidated

Verb

His descriptions of being bullied in high school for his sexuality resemble plotlines from Very Special Episodes of TV, and his relationship with his ailing father is similarly generic.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
Yes, Stark has painted, or, more accurately, anodized, powder-coated, and otherwise bullied into submission just about everything to black.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of bullied

Adjective

At times during the inquiry hearings, the nurses were almost browbeaten into accepting the inquiry’s premise.

— Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026
Audiences who endured the Miramax era have been browbeaten to believe that the best picture Oscar should go to a period piece that chokes out a sob from audiences.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026

Definition of browbeaten

Verb

The stranger’s hollow cheeks, his dark eyes, whose lashes always appeared wet, the bony shoulders that protruded from the singlet Chee Meng had lent him—all of it frightened Shawn.

— Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Families confronting a devastating diagnosis may already be frightened, grieving and overwhelmed.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of frightened

Adjective

Roosevelt’s patrician upbringing, as well as ties to her husband’s career, led to certain frictions between the two, with Murray consistently urging the First Lady to act on behalf of Black Americans and other oppressed peoples.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
All of us artists could stand to be more like Mark, willing to speak out for oppressed people everywhere, even when powerful people try to bully us into silence.

— Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of oppressed

Adjective

But once assembly was complete the pit was very sturdy, and my wife and I were easily able to carry it between my porch and a crushed-stone section of my backyard that usually holds a firepit, trying it in both places.

— Noah Kaufman, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
Pike took a piece of the victim's crushed skull as a trophy and later showed it off in school, recounting that Slemmer had begged the trio to stop, according to court records.

— Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of crushed

Adjective

Living a dozen miles from their closest neighbor (who has a grudge with Lester), even further from the closest town (a downtrodden shell of its former self), and further still from any sort of hope — or temptation.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026
In the end, a downtrodden Sporting side came close to picking up an upset win but settled for a 1-1 draw.

— PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of downtrodden

Browse Nearby Words

hector

hectored

hectoring

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hectored.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hectored. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hectored

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

regimen

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes